AS MANY as nine players could leave Chelsea this summer as the club face the bleak prospect of a world without the Champions League.

Roman Abramovich's expensive squad set to break-up to potential lack of Champions League football

Paris St Germain's demolition of any hope of a place at Europe's top table next year on Wednesday will signal the break-up of Roman Avramovich's expensive squad.

Eden Hazard, Oscar, Nemanja Matic and Loic Remy are almost certain to move on. Skipper John Terry is set to go with no contract offer materialising, key striker Diego Costa wants a return to Spain, Radamel Falcao will end his disastrous loan spell, fellow striker Alexandre Pato is unlikely to stay on, and forward Pedro could also go.

Chelsea are set to hand Willian a bumper new deal in the next few weeks in an attempt to keep one of their few remaining world-class assets but it is by no means certain he will stay with offers certain to come.

Nine players who could leave Chelsea in summer exodus

Fri, March 11, 2016

EXPRESS SPORT takes a look at some of the stars that could be leaving Stamford Bridge in the summer if Chelsea fail to secure Champions League football

Prospective new boss Antonio Conte is set to finalise the terms of his deal next week having secured the promises of the backroom staff he wants. But the Italy coach faces the biggest rebuilding job of any Chelsea manager since Abramovich bought the club in 2003. And without Champions League football, the quality of player he can attract will suffer.

Last night fingers were being pointed at technical director Michael Emenalo, the head of recruitment, for the woeful standard of signings in the last three years.

Chelsea have only the FA Cup left to silver-line their season. And they must take on Everton in that competition on Saturday without the injured Terry, and with Costa and Hazard both struggling for fitness. If that game is lost, Chelsea' season is over in the middle of March for the first time since 2003.

Defender Branislav Ivanovic said: "All of us are very, very disappointed. The Champions League is a huge competition.

"We have to work very hard to come back to the level where we can play Champions League. When you miss something, you know how big the thing is. We all hope we are going to be a strong team next season, to fight to come back.

"This is a moment when everybody has to be really motivated. Not just for the next couple of months, but for a long, period. We need to work really hard to be back on the top level."

Apart from the signings of Cesc Fabregas and Costa in the summer of 2014, Chelsea's recent recruitment policy has been a disaster. Juan Cuadrado, Mohamed Salah, Marco Van Ginkel, Baba Rahman, Papa Djilobodji, Michael Hector and loanees Radamel Falcao and Alexandre Pato have made little or no impact, and in many cases been moved swiftly on.

Less than a year after winning the title for the fourth time in Abramovich's 13-year stewardship, Chelsea are virtually back where they started.

Conte, should he sign, faces the daunting prospect of putting a new team together and making the top four straightaway. He will have money - every Chelsea manager has. But he will not have the Champions League to attract or even keep the best.

Top targets are expected to be Arturo Vidal of Bayern Munich, Radja Nainggolan of Roma, Edinson Cavani of PSG and Mauro Icardi of Inter Milan.